


Not Even The Doctor Can Raise the Dead

by jpp (vague_ambition)



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Children of Earth Fix-It, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, M/M, Post Children of Earth, Post Miracle Day, Trigger Warning: Some Self Harm, Trigger Warning: Suicidal Idealization, some language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 13:49:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1120602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vague_ambition/pseuds/jpp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s Ianto.” Jack pretended that his eyes weren’t welling up. “We were…he was…I..please, Doctor. You can save him. You can try. Please, save him, save them all!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Even The Doctor Can Raise the Dead

            Captain Jack Harkness strode away from his daughter, from his grandson’s body, from the Torchwood One facility, knowing he would not return to Cardiff. He couldn’t stand to be there, he couldn’t return to Torchwood- not when he expected to see Tosh with her handheld on every corner, not when he looked for Owen in every bar, not when he heard…and not knowing what he had done to Steven, even if that had been for the best.

            It was his fault, all of it. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn’t have his vortex manipulator, or the skill to save anyone with it, not in the state it was in. Where had the Doctor been? When Ianto died in his arms and when his grandson was used up to save everyone else, where had the supposed hero been? Where had he been when Tosh was bleeding out and when Owen was inside a nuclear plant? He was supposed to save people, why hadn’t he saved them?  More importantly, why hadn’t Jack himself been able to save them? Why had he failed people? Why had he fallen- no, he couldn’t let himself think that.

            Jack didn’t realize where he was until he was standing there- in front of Mickey and Martha’s flat in London. Martha. She could contact the Doctor, most brilliant man in the universe. Maybe he hadn’t shown up during the attack of the 456, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still save Jack’s team. He knocked on the door, his heart sinking when he remembered she was on her honeymoon. To his relief, he heard footsteps and the door open.  Martha Smith-Jones was standing there, with open suitcases behind her.

            “Jack!” She exclaimed, looking delighted. “We only just got back, flight was delayed because of the 456 thing. What are you doing here?” Mickey appeared behind her. Jack couldn’t find it in himself to smile at them and Martha’s face dropped. “What is it?”

“Come sit down.” Mickey said, quietly. “I’ll make a cup of coffee and you can tell us what you’re doing here.” Jack winced at the offer of coffee. Ianto had made them coffee. Fantastic coffee.

            “No coffee, thanks.” Jack said, finally. He followed the couple into their flat and sat down on the couch. “Ianto…was in Thames house.” He got out. Mickey looked confused but Martha’s face fell even more. She knew what had happened. “We both were.” He continued. “Only, I woke up.”

“I’m so sorry.” Martha said quietly. Jack gave a single nod, unable to meet her eyes.

          “I just killed my grandson.” He continued. “I locked my daughter out of the room and I transmitted a signal through Steven’s head to all the children. They screamed, I’m sure you heard about it, the 456 were killed. But Steven died, it burned him up. My daughter was watching as I killed her son.  I saved 10% of the kids in the world, only a single child died. But I killed him.”

“You did what you had to do, mate. You stopped the 456.” Mickey put in. Jack nodded.

“Tosh and Owen are dead. Have been since before the Dalek invasion.” He said quietly.

“I thought they might be.” Martha nodded. “I didn’t want to ask. How…?”

          “Same day, same few minutes. Owen was in a nuclear power plant, the day of the explosions in Cardiff. He was trying to stop the leak when there was a spike and it locked down automatically. Tosh got shot in the stomach. She bled out, on the phone with Owen, trying to save him. Never even told him she got hurt.” Jack recited blankly. “Gwen’s okay though. Pregnant, even.”

“It was Ianto that did you in, huh?” Martha asked. Jack finally looked up and gave a sharp nod.

“He said…” Jack stopped and shook his head. “It’s my fault they’re dead, Martha. All of them.”

“No, don’t say that.” Martha said, patting him lightly on the back. “They died on their own terms, as much as anyone ever can.”

“I need you to call the Doctor.” Jack demanded abruptly.

“You know he probably can’t do anything, right?” Martha asked.

“Yes.” He looked down again. “I just have to try.” Martha nodded and stepped in to the other room. A few seconds later, the room filled with a familiar noise and the blue box materialized. The Doctor stepped out, looking far more tired and worn than Jack had ever seen him.

            “Hello Martha! Mickey! Jack! What’s up?” The Doctor might seem more tired but he was still an overenthusiastic puppy. Martha and Mickey embraced him eagerly but Jack didn’t move. The Doctor’s face fell slowly as he noticed Jack’s demeanor.  “Who was it?” He asked solemnly.

“Ianto. And Tosh and Owen, although you don’t know them. Gwen is alive though.” Jack replied. “How…?”

“I’ve lost a lot of people, Jack. And so have you. But you’ve never called me in before.” The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Why now?”

“It’s Ianto.” Jack pretended that his eyes weren’t welling up. “We were…he was…I..please, Doctor. You can save him. You can try. Please, save him, save them all!”

“You’ve already seen him die, you’ve seen his body. That’s why you’ve come, you know he’s dead. If I went back and saved him, you couldn’t come ask me to save him. It’s a massive paradox. And, of course, the same goes for the others.”

“You said the T.A.R.D.I.S. fixes paradoxes!”

“Only the ones it causes. If I took Ianto, the T.A.R.D.I.S. couldn’t repair it. I’m sorry, Jack.”

“Please. There has to be some way. You have the entirety of time and space- find his doppelganger, make a clone of him, replace them so I don’t notice, so I still come here. Please.”

“I can’t, Jack. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” The Doctor said, sympathy in his eyes

          “YOU CAN, YOU BASTARD. THERE HAS TO BE A FUCKING WAY.” Jack screamed. “WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THEY DIED? YOU ALWAYS SHOW UP AND SAVE THE EARTH, WHY CAN’T YOU FUCKING SAVE THEM? WHERE WERE YOU FOR THE 456? OR WHEN TOSH AND OWEN DIED?” He leapt at the Doctor in anger, Mickey and Martha jumping to hold him back. Jack struggled against the others half-heartedly, not really wanting to hurt either of them.

          “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” The Doctor kept apologizing. “I thought I could control the laws of time, I was going to change all the fixed points that I didn’t like but I couldn’t! I just couldn’t! I tried to save a woman, a woman I revered all my life, and her crew, and you know what happened? She shot herself. Because of what I did. The 456 was a fixed point, I knew I couldn’t show up. I’m so sorry.”

“Please, Doctor.” Jack slumped to the ground, defeated. “Maybe not now, maybe you don’t have a way. But please. If you ever do, if you ever can, save them. I don’t care if it’s in a thousand years or a million. Come back, save them. Because I’m going to search, I’m going to look as far as I can for one of two things.”

“What?” The Doctor asked, sympathy on his face and a tone that reminded Jack that the Doctor had lived much longer than him, and lost much more.

         “A way to save them or a way to kill me.” Jack said. “Because I don’t want to, and I can’t, keep going after this. I don’t want to move on to the next fling, the next cute guy or girl or whatever that winks at me in the bar. I don’t want to build up a team just to see them die because I wasn’t there. I don’t…I want to walk into the Hub and see Tosh on her computer and Owen fussing about his scalpels and I want to see Gwen insisting on saving people and most of all, I want to see Ianto with his stupid perfect coffee and his suit and his little smile and-”  Jack broke off in a sob.

       “I can’t save them now, but if ever I find something that could help, I will. It’s highly unlikely, Jack.” The Doctor said quietly. “Even 51st century medicines can’t bring someone back from the dead, and you have to make it here, or a paradox impossible to sustain without a T.A.R.D.I.S. directly involved will be created.”  Jack nodded, trying not to make it seem as though he was crying, to no avail. The Doctor straightened up and smiled at Martha and Mickey.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Martha asked.

“Sure, I’d love to.” The Doctor smiled. “Jack, you joining us?”

“I’ll be going now.” Jack replied. “Thank you, all of you, for everything.” He straightened up and walked away, but hesitated. “And Doctor? Please…as soon as you can…if you can.” The Doctor nodded as Jack strode away.

         Six months after Ianto’s death (he saw things as before Ianto, Ianto, after Ianto. He saw Ianto himself everywhere) there had still been no sign of The Doctor, and Jack left Earth. He travelled for five years before he saw the Doctor again. He was sitting in a bar, trying to drink away the pain for another night, when a piece of paper slid towards him, informing him of his neighbor’s name.

When he looked up, the Doctor met his eyes, and Jack knew that nothing had been found yet. He also knew the Doctor was in pain of some sort, he had the ‘Oncoming Storm’ look to his eyes again. He turned to the man next to him and introduced himself, if only to placate the Doctor.

“So Jack.” Alonso asked, a few drinks later. “What’s your story? You seem like a flirt, haven’t made a move yet, and you look sad.”

“You really don’t want to know.” Jack replied.

“Yeah, I do. That’s why I asked. Look, if it’s horror, I know horror. I piloted a ship that almost all of my friends died on, us and the Doctor were trying to save the world. It worked, but almost everyone who worked with us died.”

      “I know that feeling.” Jack sighed. “Alright, you asked for it. I was working for Torchwood- Earth organization, I was in charge. My team was fantastic, you’d never believe what they could do. Five of us. Toshiko, Owen, Gwen, me, and Ianto. Owen and Tosh died about five and a half years ago, my fault, couldn’t save them. Gwen is still alive- I helped her and some others with some weird things on Earth four years ago. She wanted me to stay, but I couldn’t. And Ianto died, in my arms, five years ago to the date.”

“Yikes.” Alonso winced. “Yours is a bit more personal, then. Tell me about Ianto.”

      “He laughed at the dumbest things, stupid puns, but it was this loud laugh that filled the whole room. He was the only one who could get a coffee maker working. He was willing to sacrifice everything and anything to save someone he loved, or to protect something he believed in. He forgave so easily, even if you couldn’t forgive yourself. He never quit working, he was so valuable, and I don’t know if I ever told him that. I never told him a lot of things.”

“You guys were together, right?”

“Yeah, although we never said officially. Again, lots of things we never said.”

“You never said you love him, did you?”

“No. He only said it once, when he was dying. I couldn’t handle it.”

“So now you’re out here, searching the stars? For what?”

“A way to save them, him, or a way to die.”

“You can’t die?”

“Not even a little.”

“Wow, that’s…awful.”

“Tell me about it.”

They finished their drinks, talking about Alonso’s life, and Jack went to his hotel room alone, but with a new friend. Maybe that’s what he needed. He stored Alonso’s number into his phone, and got drunk again the next night, after purchasing some guns.

 ************

          The Doctor had only one ulterior motive in visiting the Flesh- figure out what was happening with Amy. But when Foreman Cleaves called the Flesh “gangers” a conversation from years ago rang in his mind.

“Find his doppelganger, make a clone of him!” he heard Captain Jack Harkness begging again. The Gangers felt pain, he knew that. But…he had seen Jack’s pain in his eyes, and he knew his friend was facing a long life full of pain. But everything began moving so fast, and he needed to protect his best friend, his Amelia. And then he needed to save the universe from destruction. Again. And get married. And ‘die’.

        But when he was dead, he realized, he had plenty of time. And finally, finally, he had a resource to finish something he promised to attempt years ago.  He checked up on Jack first off, halfheartedly hoping that he had moved on. He went to the same bar he had found him in with Alonso, in the 34nd century. Jack was still in town, but outside. Hidden in an alley, the Doctor watched as Jack shot himself in the head, died, revived, and shot himself again. The man was desperate and miserable, that hadn’t changed. Definitely not moved on- although the Doctor couldn’t blame him.

        Next stop, then, was 2009 Cardiff, the morning of the 456 attack. The Doctor timed it so that he would get there at seven in the morning and hid himself out of the line of sight of Torchwood- and for once, the timing thing actually worked. Ianto Jones, alive and well, walked by a few minutes after the Doctor had landed and he opened the T.A.R.D.I.S. door enough to yell at him.

“Ianto Jones!” The Doctor shouted. Ianto swirled around in surprise to see the Doctor sticking his head out of the T.A.R.D.I.S.

“Doctor?” Ianto asked.

“Yes sir! I’ve changed my face since we last met, as you’ll see. But! It’s still me. Quick, come in.” Ianto obeyed without argument, allowing the Doctor to close the door behind him. His reaction to the wonders of the T.A.R.D.I.S. was unimpressive.

“Jack told you about it, then?” the Doctor asked.

“Yes, sorry to disappoint. Should I go get Jack?” Ianto smiled politely.

“No, I need to speak to you alone.” The Doctor said. “Do you mind if I park elsewhere? I’d rather Jack not see me, it’s actually crucial to this operation.”

“Okay? We could park in Tosh’s old flat…hasn’t sold yet, Jack won’t be by there.” Ianto suggested. The Doctor materialized in the dead woman’s flat as soon as Ianto gave him the address.

“Okay, firstly.” The Doctor began. “I need you to tell me C.O.D. for both Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper, and their burial status.”

             “Owen died in a nuclear power plant, body never recovered. Tosh was shot in the stomach and bled out.” Ianto answered, a cloud passing over his face. “Sorry, but why do you need me for this?”

“Damn, bled out. That won’t work for her then. And I understand Owen’s situation was rather…unusual?” The Doctor sighed. He had hoped to bring the whole team back.

“Yes, certainly. I think he’d be unhappy to be brought back to life, if that’s what you’re suggesting.” Ianto stated cautiously.

“One life is better than none.” The Doctor nodded. “Martha told me the body was unblemished, no bleeding, that’s simple enough.”

“Sorry, but what are you on about?” Ianto asked, looking anxious.

“Basically, something huge is about to happen. Disastrous. Life-threatening. And it kills you, four days from now.” The Doctor explained. Ianto sucked in a breath.

“Why are you telling me this?” He said, paler than before.

“Because it doesn’t just kill you. It kills Jack, too. He comes back, but he’s dead inside.” The Doctor explained. “He had Martha call me and he begged me to save you, in any way I can. It was…” Ianto’s eyes were wet at this news.

“He’ll forget me eventually.” Ianto sniffed. “I’m nothing special.”

        “Yes, you are. And I’ve travelled with a lot of people, Ianto Jones, for a very long time and let me tell you. I never forgot anyone. Every human is special. And to him, you were everything. I thought he might move on, but I’ve just come from the 34nd century, and he’s just as bad.”

“Describe just as bad.” Ianto ordered. The Doctor hesitated, but told him anyways.

“I saw him empty two guns filled with bullets into his head.” He stated. Ianto gave another little sob.

“Why are you telling me this?” He asked again. “What good will this do?”

“Because it’s been years and years since he asked me. But I found a way to save you.”

“How do I die?” Ianto asked. “And how do you save me?”

        “Biological warfare. An alien enemy, the 456, releases a disease that kills you.” The Doctor explained. “Since Jack came to me after he sees you die, he has to see you die, or it will create a paradox. But I have come across something I knew of, but didn’t put two and two together until seeing them live. They’re called ‘Gangers, short for Doppelgangers. They look just like the person- and can be controlled by them. Now, they do feel pain, so you’ll have to create one and get it to agree, but I don’t think it will be too difficult, given your and Jack’s relationship. In addition, you didn’t die in a painful way; they won’t feel too much of it. But if we created a ‘Ganger for you, I would drop him off right when I picked you up. He would go into work, all the while being controlled by you, safe in the T.A.R.D.I.S., I can get the equipment for that. Not a single bit of the timeline would be altered, other than the replacement. Jack would never know. And your ‘Ganger will die in four days, not you. It won’t work for Toshiko because she bleeds out, and ‘Gangers don’t bleed. But Martha told me after Jack left her house those years ago that there was not a mark on your body, according to some U.N.I.T. officers she contacted. So it will go off, Jack will think you die, ask me to save you, and we’ll take you to him.” Ianto stared at the Doctor, absorbing everything he had just told him. “I must warn you, though, Captain Jack Harkness is a tricky man to find when he doesn’t want to be found. Unless he’s in the same town, it may take a while.” The Doctor added.

“Won’t Jack just be hurt again, when I die again? It may be best to spare him the pain a second time.” Ianto considered. The Doctor smiled slightly.

“The medicines they have in those times are fantastic, you can get inoculations against bullet wounds. They just can’t bring back the dead. You won’t die of old age, and most things we know about, I promise you that.  With those kind of resources, you could live for centuries.”

“Then yes. Without a thought.” Ianto agreed. “On one condition.”

“Which is?” The Doctor asked.

“I don’t want to remember this conversation until after my ‘Ganger dies. I won’t be able to stop myself from telling Jack otherwise, not if he seems as hurt as you say he’ll be. I’m sure that there’s a way to do that, with all your resources?” Ianto asked. The Doctor nodded.

“Let’s go make your ‘Ganger!” he exclaimed.

*************

“It's all my fault.” Jack said, sounding like he was breaking.

“No it’s not.” Ianto protested weakly from his spot in Jack’s arms.

Jack pressed a hand over his mouth in vain. “Don’t speak. Save your breath.”

“I love you.” Ianto said, knowing he had to tell him, knowing he had to get it out before it was too late.

“Don’t.” Jack half-sobbed. “Ianto? Ianto. Ianto stay with me. Ianto stay with me please. Stay with me! Stay with me! Please.”

“Okay.” Ianto agreed, although they both knew he didn’t have a choice. “It was good, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Jack agreed.

“Don’t forget me.” Ianto pleaded, his blood going cold at the thought.

Jack laughed, a horrible laugh. “Never could.”

“A thousand years’ time.” Ianto said, terrified his words were the truth. “You won't remember me.” 

“Yes I will. I promise. I will.” Jack promised, sincerity ringing through his voice.  Then, the silence was too much. “Ianto? Ianto? Don't go. Don't leave me please. Please, don't.” Jack pleaded, praying to a deity he knew didn’t exist, talking to a body.

        Ianto opened his eyes inside the T.A.R.D.I.S, feeling as though he had just run an emotional marathon. His memories of his meeting with the Doctor trickled in, and he looked around to see the Doctor standing there.

“I was watching on the monitor.” The Doctor explained. “I’m sorry, I wish that neither of you had to go through that.” Ianto nodded sharply, his eyes moist.“Do you want to pick up any of your things?” the Doctor asked. “From your flat?”

“Yeah.” Ianto decided. “Can we tell Gwen I’m alright?”

       “We’ll go ahead two years in Earth’s timeline, that should be alright. I don’t want to risk it.” The Doctor said. Ianto nodded. They made a quick stop three weeks in the future to grab Ianto’s things and deposit obscene amounts of money in Rhiannon’s checking account before heading to Gwen’s house two years in the future. They parked outside and walked to the door, the Doctor standing slightly behind Ianto as they knocked.

“Hey, thank-” Gwen answered the door, cutting her words off with a screech as she saw who was standing there. “Ianto? Is that really you? How are you here?”

“Hey, Gwen. Can I come inside?” Ianto asked. Gwen nodded. “The Doctor, too?”

“Ah, you’ve regenerated, have you?” Gwen remarked rhetorically. “I thought you’d be the pizza man, I was having a delivery brought here but how on Earth are you here?”

“Um, I didn’t actually die in Thames House.” Ianto said. He spent the next ten minutes explaining how he had survived- the Doctor got the pizza.

“Jack was back to help with a thing on Earth a while ago, but he left as soon as things were good again. Haven’t heard from him since.” Gwen said apologetically when he was done. “I presume you don’t plan to join the living again?”

“I’m going to find Jack, but maybe it’s time we not work anymore. How are you? How is Rhys, and the baby?” Ianto asked. Gwen filled him in, and they said (slightly tearful) goodbyes an hour later.

        The Doctor and Ianto returned to where the Doctor had seen Jack, only they landed five days off and Jack was gone. They followed rumors, what seemed like goose chases half the time, trying to find him. But the Doctor was right- he didn’t seem to want to be found. They asked Martha to try to get ahold of him, but she couldn’t. Finally, they landed in what seemed like the thousandth bar in a week, and saw a familiar face.

“Alonso!” The Doctor exclaimed. A man with rather large ears perked up at this, although no recognition crossed his face when he saw the Doctor. “Oh, I’ve changed my face since I saw you, but I’m the Doctor.”

“Really?” Alonso asked, surprised. “Same guy with the nice tux who saved me, and Earth?”

“The one and only.” The Doctor bowed. “It’s a Time Lord trick. Listen, my friend and I are looking for Captain Jack Harkness. You know how to contact him?”

“Yeah, I have his number. His new one.  I don’t know if he wants to be contacted, though. He’s not doing very well.” Alonso explained.

“How long since you met him?” The Doctor asked.

“Linearly, ten years. But he jumps around a lot, so probably more for him.” Alonso shrugged.

“You don’t look too much older!” The Doctor exclaimed. Alonso laughed.

“’Course not, ten years is nothing.” He paused for a moment. “Except to Jack, probably. He might be immortal, but every day is ridiculously long to him. He’s miserable, Doctor.”

        “How do you know Jack?” Ianto asked, feeling a sudden surge of jealousy. Rather attractive man who knew Jack well- maybe he had moved on. Alonso looked over at him and shock passed across his face.

“Oh my god.” Alonso said, his eyes wide. “Oh my god, you’re him. You’re Ianto Jones, aren’t you?”

“Yes?” Ianto said, raising an eyebrow. “How do you know who I am?”

“Jack’s shown me pictures, of course.” Alonso shrugged. “Ianto Jones. Oh my god, you’ve done it, Doctor.”

“Seriously, how do you know Jack?” Ianto asked again.

       “Oh, we met in a bar about ten years ago. Pretty sure I’m the only living friend he’s got.” Alonso said, sadly. “The man’s so lonely all the time. Every time I see him, or talk to him, he talks about you. He misses you. Keeps searching for two things, he says. A way to save you, or a way to die.”

“Oh my god.” Ianto murmured. “He really missed me that much?”

“I told you.” The Doctor nodded. “So, Alonso, can you get ahold of him? We’ve been looking for him everywhere.” Alonso nodded.

“Don’t just tell him I’m here. I know Jack, he’ll think it’s a trap.” Ianto said. Alonso nodded again and began doing something with his technological looking thing that Ianto assumed was a phone.

        “Hey, Jack!” Alonso exclaimed after what seemed like endless silence. “Listen, we’re overdue for a talk….I don’t know when it most recently was for you, but I’m talking for me…Really? Six years since last time? It’s been a month for me…Yeah, a lot can happen in a month, though. I want to catch up. Plus, six years, you’re lonely…No, don’t lie, mate…Yeah, I’ll send you the coordinates, come straight through when you get them…okay, well maybe let that heal first, take a shower…no, I promise, I wouldn’t try to set you up with someone. I know you better than that…Jack, c’mon…I know, you don’t want to, but at least get your mind off of it…okay, see you soon.” Alonso gave them the thumbs up as he sent their location to Jack. Ianto sat next to him at the bar, too nervous to drink.

        “I think I’ll go use the little time lords’ room. In the T.A.R.D.I.S.” The Doctor announced. Ianto nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave. Just need to sort things out.” Ianto, distracted, nodded again.

“Jack didn’t feel like going out, he said.” Alonso told him. “Said he wasn’t lonely, that he didn’t want to go out because he was sad.” Ianto felt horribly sad at that.

“Why did he need to clean up?”

“He OD’d on drugs earlier, apparently. Ended up being quite sick. Then he tried to bleed out. He must’ve been disgusting.” Alonso said casually. Ianto felt a wince of pain in his belly.

“Is this common?” he asked. “Stuff like that?”

“Yeah, every day.” Alonso sighed. “Either that or maniacally trying to murder the 456, or searching for a way to bring someone back from the dead.”

“Wow.” Ianto said. “Poor Jack.” Alonso agreed.

***********

       It took a lot of effort to shower and get dressed to meet Alonso. Jack was having a bad day, even for him. Sure he saved the world some days, but most days, he hated himself. He pulled on his typical outfit, including the coat Ianto had bought him. He had made sure that had survived. The coordinates for Alonso’s location flashed on his partially-repaired Vortex manipulator. Jack recognized the name- it was a classy and popular bar about a solar system away, typical Alonso area. He landed in the designated Vortex-landing-area of the town just twenty minutes after he got off the phone with Alonso. Not bad.

        He entered the bar, his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, and saw Alonso sitting across it. The familiar scene soothed him a bit, despite the six year gap since he last saw his friend. He was almost to Alonso when he noticed the man on the stool next to him, and stopped dead. The man’s back was to Jack, but the suit was similar to the ones that- his hair was (as far as Jack could tell) the right color, he held himself the same was as Ianto had. Ianto. For Jack, it had been forty-eight years, although not even Alonso knew that.  

     “Ianto?” He whispered, hardly daring to hope. Every expert he had consulted said there was no way to save Ianto. Alonso looked up and saw Jack. He beckoned him over with a smile on his face and Jack slowly began walking towards him. Alonso nudged the man (Ianto?) next to him, who swiveled around in his chair and-

“Ianto!” Jack shouted, sure that half the bar had heard him. Ianto (was it really Ianto? Could it be?) offered up a small smile and Jack was running at him, embracing him as hard as he could.

“Hey Jack.” Ianto said quietly.

“Is it really you?” Jack asked, pulling away from his hug. “Are you really here?”

“Yeah, I’m here. It’s me.” Ianto smiled again, the same smile Jack remembered. “I know it’s been a lot longer for you than for me; but I’m here, we came as fast as we could. I can go home, if you need me to or-” Jack cut him off by kissing him as hard as he could.

“You’re really here.” Jack said, quietly. “How?”  The Doctor picked that moment to appear and say hello to Jack, even though he was much different than Jack remembered. Jack listened to the explanation closely, trying to remember any difference in Ianto those days.

“Gangers, though? They operate separately from their human counterparts!”

“Not 22nd century, brand-new ‘Gangers.” The Doctor said. “Ianto didn’t know he was a ‘Ganger, by the way. He asked me to make sure he didn’t know while it was happening, because otherwise he wouldn’t be able to do it.” Jack nodded.

“Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much.” Jack said, feeling lighter than he had in forty eight years. “And the others?”  
“Ianto thought Owen wouldn’t appreciate it.” The Doctor said. “And Tosh bled out, so impossible to replace her with a Ganger.”

“Thank you thank you thank you.” Jack muttered, hugging the Doctor. “Alonso, I’m afraid I have to cut this visit short.”

“Don’t be a stranger, Harkness. Ianto, make sure he stays in touch.” Alonso smiled, understanding.

“Bye!” Ianto waved. “Thank you, Doctor!” The Doctor just laughed.

“Do you want to find a hotel? My apartment isn’t nice right now, I’ve been too...busy.” Jack said as they walked down the street in front of the bar.

“I don’t mind.” Ianto said.  Jack stopped and kissed him again, still sure that he was dreaming.

“You’re here.” He murmured, without moving his lips from Ianto’s.

“I’m here.” Ianto said.

            Later, there would be time for stories, for Jack to tell what he had done, for Ianto to make him promise never to live like that again. There would be time for domesticity, for marriage, for everything they hadn’t been able to hope for. Eventually, they’d visit Gwen and Rhys, pay their respects to Tosh and Owen. But at that moment, all that mattered was that Jack finally (finally!) had Ianto in his arms again, and he wasn’t dead, and he hadn’t left him. Memories still remained- of Jack pleading with Ianto not to go, of a cold kiss, of a dying boy- but they hurt less with Ianto right there

“When I was dying.” Ianto started and Jack flinched. Ianto held him close and stroked his hair as he continued. “When I was dying, I said something to you. And you told me not to, probably because it hurt too much. Can I say it now?” Jack nodded against Ianto’s shoulder.  “I love you, Jack Harkness. And I’ll stay right here.  No alien diseases.”

“I love you, Ianto Jones.” Jack replied. It was the first time since his immortality that Jack had said that and meant it, but he was never going to let the coffee boy go. **  
**

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer, of course! None is mine! Sorry for any errors, I just finished at 2 a.m...I recently watched S.3 and really needed a fix-it fic. My Tenth Doctor is set between Waters of Mars and End of Time, and my Eleventh after season 6. This is technically Miracle Day compliant, as Jack had no idea Ianto was alive. Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! (Sorry that P.O.V. jumps around, it just worked best)


End file.
